Blind having lift cords and a cord lock

ABSTRACT

A blind has lift cords which pass through a cord lock and hang down to be pulled downwardly and eased upwardly to raise and lower the blind. The down-hanging lift-cords are guided by a pendant cord-guide which is attached to and carried by an actuating cord that is connected to the locking dog of the cord lock. When the actuating cord is pulled it moves the locking dog into locking engagement with the lift cords, causing the cord lock to lock the cords.

United States Patent [191 Debs [ BLIND HAVING LIFT CORDS AND A CORD LOCK[75] Inventor: Victor Debs, Staten Island, NY.

[73] Assignee: Levolor Lorentzen, lnc., Hoboken,

22 Filed: May 5, 1871 21 App1.No.: 140,376

[52] US. Cl. ..l60/l78 C, 160/168 [51 Int. Cl. ..E06b 9/26 58] Field ofSearch ..l60/166178, 178 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS572,927 12/1896 Cederberg .l60/168 in] 3,727,665 [451 Apr. 17,1973

1,957,272 5/1934 Kuyper ..160/178 C 2,731,111 1/1956 Lorentzen 2,872,9762/ 1959 Lorentzen 3,605,852 9/ 1971 Vecehiarelli 160/ l 68 PrimaryExaminer-Peter M. Caun AttorneyCharles F. Chisholm ABSTRACT A blind haslift cords which pass through a cord lock and hang down to be pulleddownwardly and eased upwardly to raise and lower the blind. Thedownhanging lift-cords are guided by a pendant cord-guide which isattached to and carried by an actuating cord that is connected to thelocking dog of the cord lock. When the actuating cord is pulled it movesthe locking dog into locking engagement with the lift cords, causing thecord lock to lock the cords.

15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED R 1 7 W3 3. 727, 665

FIG.4

INVENTOR.

VI CTO F2 D E 55 ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventionrelates to Venetian blinds and other blinds, the term blind" designatinga device such as is used in connection with an opening to keep out lightor hinder vision.

Venetian blinds and various other blinds are customarily provided withlift cords which pass through a cord lock and hang down to be pulleddownwardly and eased upwardly to raise and lower the blind. In passingthrough the cord lock the lift cords ordinarily make a 90 bend around acord guide that is included in the cord lock. In spaced relation to suchcord guide there is locking means that is adapted to make lockingengagement with the lift cords and clamp them against the aforesaid cordguide. Typically, the locking means is a locking dog which is so pivotedthat it has unbalanced weight which biases the dog away from the liftcords.

The blind having been raised or lowered to the desired degree, thedown-hanging lift-cords are swung sidewise against the locking dog(usually provided with teeth which the cords engage) and then the liftcords are eased upwardly for a short distance. The lift cords, by reasonof their engagement with the locking dog, move the nose of the dogupwardly thereby causing the dog to swing in the direction of the liftcords and clamp them against the cord guide around which the cords makethe 90 bend. When the blind is to be raised or lowered to a differentposition, the down-hanging lift-cords are first pulled downwardly for ashort distance; this releases the locking dog which, by reason of itsunbalanced weight, swings away from the lift cords.

Because actuating the cord lock involves easing the lift cords upwardlyfor a short distance, it is likely to be troublesome to so manipulatethe lift cords that the locking will be completed with the blind at theexact level that may be desired. Further, the weight of the raisedportion of the blind is a factor in the locking action of the lockingdog. This tends to make the locking action uncertain when the weight ofthe raised portion of the blind is quite small, as when the blind isquite light in weight or when only a small portion of the blind israised.

United States patent to Kuyper US. Pat. No. 1,957,272 shows in its FIGS.8, 6, 9 and l a Venetian blind in which a separate actuating cord isconnected to the locking dog of the cord lock; when the actuating cordis pulled the locking dog is swung into engagement with the lift cords,clamping them against the top of the cord-lock housing. In the Kuyperblind there is wide separation between the down-hanging lift cords andthe actuating cord for the cord lock, which separation Kuyper needs forprotection against entanglement between the lift cords and the actuatingcord. In various installations this wide separation is undesirable.Further, Kuypers cord lock requires more space than is desirable in manyinstances. Still further, Kuypers blind has difficulties in connectionwith the weight that is imposed upon the locking dog. To prevent falseoperation of his locking dog, the combined weight of Kuypers actuatingcord and pull tassel will have to be severely limited. Additionally,there is the problem of variations in the weight of the actuating cord,due to the varying length thereof in different installations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a blind in whichthere is pendant cord-guide means for the lift cords, such cord-guidemeans being attached to and being carried by an actuating cord that isconnected to the locking means of the cord lock.

In accordance with features afforded by the invention:

(a) the down-hanging lift-cords pass vertically through spaced lift-cordpassages in the pendant cord-guide means; (b) collectively, thelift-cord passages are adapted to receive two or more lift cords; (c)the attachment of the cord-lock actuating-cord to the pendant cord-guidemeans is at a location that is between the spaced lift-cord passages,tlne lift-cord passages being symmetrically arranged in relation to suchattachment; (cl) the lift-cord passages extend vertically for a distancewhich is long as compared to the thickness of the lift cords; (e) thelift-cord passages afford unfettered movement of the lift cords throughthe passages; (f) the pendant cord-guide means is a unitary cord-guidewhich has it central vertical-axis passing through its center ofgravity, and it is on such vertical axis and above the center of gravitythat the pendant cord-guide is attached to the cord-lock actuating-cord;(g) the pendantcord-guide is a pendant block, and the centralvertical-axis of the block is aligned at least approximately with thecord-lock actuating-cord; (h) the cord lock has a pivoted locking-dogwhich is spring biased away from the lift cords, the spring havingsufficient strength to counteract the combined weight of the pendantcord-guide and the cord-lock actuating-cord; (i) the spring is a readilydetachable and replaceable coil spring; and (j) the cord-lockactuating-cord, adjacent to the locking-dog-connected end thereof, isformed into a bight which embraces the pivot of the locking dog.

The invention affords all of the foregoing features, among others. It isleft to the user to select the features which are needed or desirablefor his particular use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a largely diagrammatic frontelevation, with parts broken away, showing a blind embodying theinvention. In this instance the blind is a Venetian blind.

FIG. 2 is a largely diagrammatic detail view in sectional elevation withparts omitted and parts broken away, the view being to a larger scalethan FIG 1. FIG. 2 shows the interior construction of the cord lock andshows two lift cords passing through the cord lock, the dog of the cordlock being in unlocked position. FIG. 2 also shows, in verticalfront-to-rear section, the block which constitutes the pendantcord-guide; and to afford the front-to-rear section, the block in FIG. 2is rotated on its vertical axis from the position in which the block isshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cord lock itself, to the FIG. 1 andbeing perpendicular to the sectional plane of the block in FIGS. 2 and4. Fragments of two lift cords and a fragment of the cord-lockactuating-cord are shown in elevation.

FIG. 6 is the same type of view as FIG. but showing a pendant cord-guideblock having four separate liftcord passages. Fragments of fourlift-cords and a fragment of the cord-lock actuating-cord are shown inelevation.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale as compared to FIGS.24, showing the locking dog that is shown in FIGS. 2-4

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, corresponding to FIG. 7, showing enough ofthe locking dog to illustrate how it may be modified to provide teethwhich will engage the lift cords when the locking dog is in lockedposition.

FIG. 9 is the same as FIG. 5 but showing four lift cords, instead oftwo.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS THAT ARE PRESENTLY PREFERRED The bestmodes thus far contemplated of carrying out the invention are hereindisclosed. Nevertheless, the disclosed modes are by way of illustrationand example, since other modes may be used; and the claims embrace othermodes. Except as otherwise indicated the description hereinafter (priorto the claims) is of the particular forms of the invention that areshown in the drawing and does not necessarily refer to any other form.The above heading is not to be considered as applying to the claims, nomatter what style and/or format is used in printing the patent.

In FIG. l the Venetian blind is designated as a whole by B. It has aconventional Iadder-and-slat assembly 10, which is conventionallysuspended beneath a head 11 that is conventional except for the cordlock that is shown in FIGS. 24. A conventional bottom bar 12 acts as.the lowermost slat of the Iadder-and-slat assembly 10. Two lift cords l4and are connected to the bottom bar 12, from which they proceed asfollows: upwardly through conventional openings (not shown) in theconventional slats 16, into the head 11 in conventional manner, thenceto the right within the head in conventional manner, through the cordlock in conventional manner, hanging down as shown in front of the slatsand passing through a pendant cord-guide CG, and then being attached inconventional manner to a conventional tassel 17. The two lift cords hangdown as shown to be pulled downwardly and eased upwardly to raise andlower the slats of the blind, commonly referred to as raising andlowering the blind. In FIG. 1 the portion RP is in raised position. Thetwo lift cords 14 and 15 may be two branches of a single length of cordwhich is folded back upon itself, having a bight within the tassel 17.

The head 11 includes a conventional sheet-steel channel (FIG. 1) which,as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, has a bottom wall 21, a front wall 22 and arear wall 23. Nested within the channel 20 and located toward theright-hand end of the channel there is a cord lock which is designatedas a whole by CL. The cord lock has a body which is stamped in one piecefrom sheet steel, the body having a two-part bottom wall 31a, 31b, afront wall 32 and a rear wall 33. In the bottom wall 31a, 31b there is arectangular opening 36 which extends from one bottom-wall part 310 tothe other bottom wall part 3112 and from the front wall 32 to the rearwall 33. The bottom wall 31a, 31b of the cord-lock body is against thebottom wall 21 of the head channel 20, and is suitably secured theretoas by one or more eyelets or rivets 38 (one shown). In the bottom wall21 of the head channel 20 there is an opening 26 (FIGS. 2 and 4) whichis the same size as, and registers with, the opening 36 in the bottomwall of the cord-lock body 30.

In forming the cord-lock body 30, metal taken from the opening 36 in thebottom of the body is formed into a hollow cylindrical cord-guide 39which extends from the front wall 32 of the cord-lock body to the rearwall 33 of the cord-lock body, the axis of the cylindrical for mationbeing horizontal and being perpendicular to the walls 32 and 33. Thecord guide 39 guides the lift cords 14 and 15 through a bend, fromhorizontal to vertical. The lift cords pass through the openings 36 and26 and hang down from the cord lock; see FIGS. 2-4.

The cord lock CL includes a movable locking-dog which is designated as awhole by D (FIG. 7), this dog being adapted to lock the lift cords l4and 15. The dog D is stamped in one piece from sheet steel; it includesfront and rear cheeks 42 and 43, front cheek 42 loosely engaging thefront wall 32 of the cord-lock body and the rear cheek 43 looselyengaging the rear wall 33 of the cord-lock body. The dog D is pivotallymounted in the cord-lock body by means of a rivet 45, which constitutesa pivot and is located as shown in FIGS. 2-4. The rivet 45 passesthrough the front and rear walls 32 and 33 of the cord-lock body. Therivet 45 also passes through and makes a loose bearing-fit with thelocking dog cheeks 42 and 43 at the openings 42a and 43a thereof. Thecheeks 42 and 43 are connected together by a U-shaped formation whichincludes planar legs 46 and 47 that are in spaced parallel relation, theleg 46 being somewhat shorter than the leg 47. The legs 46 and 47 lie onopposite sides of, and are equidistant from, a plane which includes thepivotal axis of the dog D and is parallel to the legs 46 and 47. Thelegs 46 and 47, which are connected together by an are as shown, havefree ends 48 and 49 that engage the lift cords l4 and 15 when thelocking dog swings into locking engagement with the lift cords andclamps them against the cylindrical cord-guide 39; see FIG. 4. In themodified locking dog D that is shown fragmentarily in FIG. 8 the legs 46and 47 are provided with serrated free ends 48 and 49', whereby the doghas teeth which engage the lift cords when the dog is in lockedposition.

The rear cheek 43 of the locking dog is notched at 43a, and one end ofacoil spring 50 is connected to the notch as is seen in FIGS. 2-4. Theother end of the coil spring 50 is connected to a finger 33a which isstruck from the rear wall 33 of the cord-lock body. The spring 50 biasesthe locking dog away from the lift cords 14 and 15 and into the positionshown in FIG. 2, counterclockwise movement of the locking dog beingarrested by finger 33b (FIGS. 3 and 4) which is struck from the rearwall 33 of the cord-lock body adjacent to the bottom of the rear wall.The locking dog (D or D) is swung into locking position by means of anactuating cord 51 which is connected at its upper end to the locking dogand from which it hangs down through openings 36 and 26. Adjacent to itsupper end the actuating cord 51 is formed into a bight which embracesthe pivot 45 of the locking dog, the cord being connected to the lockingdog by passing through the hole 44 (FIGS. 7 and 8) and being knotted at51a as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. When the actuating cord 51 is pulledit overcomes the bias of the spring 50, swings the locking dog clockwiseas viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4, and brings the locking dog into lockingengagement with the lift cords l4 and as shown in FIG. 4. Thearrangement of the actuating cord in a bight which embraces the pivot ofthe locking dog is a very compact arrangement and, nevertheless; affordslarge angular movement of the locking dog when the actuating cord ispulled.

The down-hanging lift-cords 14 and 15 are guided by the pendantcord-guide CG, which may be a pendant block of suitable size and shapeand which is made of suitable material. The block CG that is shown has aheight h, a width w, a thickness t, a top 60, a bottom 61, a generallyplanar front-face 62, a generally planar rear'face 63, a generallyplanar right edgeface 64, and a generally planar left edgeface 65. Thevarious corners of the block are rounded off somewhat. The block CG thatis shown is molded in one piece of suitable plastic -plastic which ishard, impact resistant and light in weight being presently preferred. Ifdesired, the plastic may be translucent or transparent.

The block CG is symmetrical about its vertical axis, which is midwaybetween the front and rear faces 62 and 63 and also midway between theright and left edge-faces 64 and 65. The center of gravity of the blockCG is on its vertical axis, being a trifle above the level that ismidway between the top 60 and the bottom 61. Near the top of the blockCG, and coaxial with the vertical axis of the block, there is a shortvertical bore 68 of relatively small diameter. Above the bore 68 thereis a short counterbore 69 leading to the top of the block, and below thebore 68 there is a long counterbore 70 leading to the bottom of theblock. As shown in FIG. 5, there are vertical bores 71 and 72 which areequally spaced in opposite directions from the bore 68 and its companioncounterbores 69 and 70. The bores 71 and 72 extend for the entire heightof the block CG, the axes of these two bores being parallel to thevertical axis of the block and being midway between the front and rearfaces 62 and 63 of the block.

The pendant block CG is attached to and carried by the actuating cord 51that is connected to the locking dog of the cord lock CL. The verticalaxis of the block CG is in at least approximate alignment with theactuating cord 51, the offset between the lower and upper fragmentsofthe cord 51 in FIGS. 2 and 3 being due to the break out between thesetwo fragmentsv The attachment of the block, CG to the cord 51 is byvirtue of the lower end of the cord 51 being threaded through the bore68 and being knotted as shown in FIG. 5, the knot 51a being drawn intothe counterbore 70 and to the top of the counterbore as is shown in FIG.5. It will be seen that the block CG is not only attached to the cord 51at a location that is on the vertical axis of the block CG but theattachment is located at a level which is substantially above the centerof gravity of the block CG whereby the weight of the block biases itinto un' tilted position.

The down-hanging lift-cords 14 and 15 pass vertically and individuallythrough the bores 71 and 72, whereby the lift cords are guided. by thependant block CG. The bores 71 and 72 are cylindrical and have equaldiameters. The bore diameter is substantially in excess of the lift-corddiameter, the relative diameters of the bores 71 and 72 and the liftcords 14 and 15 being as shown in FIG. 5. Thus, the bores 71 and 72afford unfettered longitudinal (vertical) movement of the lift cordsthrough the bores. The bores 71 and 72 have the same length, each ofthese bores extending vertically for a distance which is long ascompared to the thickness of the lift cord, whereby the block CG affordseffective guiding of the lift cords l4 and 15 and inhibits entanglementbetween the lift cords and the actuating cord 51. The bores 71 and 72,while being long compared to the thickness of the lift cords, are longas compared to the diameter of the bores, the relative dimensions beingas shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

The pendant cord-guide block CG doubles as a tassel for pulling the cord51 to actuate the cord lock. The coil spring 50 of the cord lock may bean initially-set spring, i.e., a spring that is so coiled in knownmanner that the convolutions are biased against one another, so that thespring doesnt start to extend until a predetermined tensioning force hasbeen applied to the spring. Such a spring, with appropriate initial set,will completely counteract the weight of the actuating cord 51 plus theweight of the pendant block CG, thereby insuring against false operationof the locking dog of the cord lock. The length, and consequent weight,of the actuating cord 51 will be greater in some blinds than in others.Also, some pendant cord-guides will be heavier than others, due to beingmade of different material or due to being of different size, or both.For example, the pendant cordguide CG of FIG. 6 (to be describedpresemtly) is heavier than the pendant cord-guide CG. Thus, in differentinstallations, the spring 50 will be called upon to compensate fordifferent total weights of actuating cord and pendant cord-guide. Thespring 50 has hook ends which are hooked to the finger 33a and the notch43a. These spring ends are easily unhooked and rehooked, therebyrendering the spring 50 readily detachable and replaceable. Thus, asuitable spring 50 can be selected and used for any particularinstallation.

While two is probably the most-frequently-used number of lift cords,there is no particular limit to the number of lift cords that a blindmay have. Four lift cords are not uncommon, six have been used, and anynumber larger than six is rare. An odd number of lift cords has beenused, but only rarely.

The lift cords are circular in cross section, as are the lift-cordpassages in the pendant cord-guide. As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 9 thelift-cord passages 71 and 72 each have a diameter that is approximatelythree times the lift-cord diameter, whereby these passages have across-sectional area that is approximately nine times the lift-cordcross-sectional area. Accordingly, the guide block CG is suitable forany likely number of lift cords. With an eight-lift-cord blind four liftcords can be placed in each of the passages 71 and 72, with unfetteredlongitudinal movement of the lift cords through the passages. in thecase of an odd number of lift cords, one of the passages 71 and 72 wouldhave one more lift cord than the other. But with an even number of liftcords, which is the usual case, an equal number of lift cords is in eachof the passages 71 and 72, these two passages being on opposite sides ofthe actuating cord 51 and equidistant therefrom. FIG. 9 shows the guideblock CG used with a blind having four lift cords 14, l4, l5 and a groupof two of the lift cords being placed in each of the passages 71 and 72.

FIG. 6 shows a modified guide block CG used with a blind having the fourlift cords 14, 14', 15 and 15. The block CG has four lift-cord passages71a, 71b, 72a and 72b that are individual to the four lift cords. Eachofthe four lift-cord passages is cylindrical and has a diameter which isonly a little larger than the lift-cord diameter, but enough larger toafford unfettered longitudinal movement of the lift cord through thepassage. The amount of material that is elimiated from the guide blockin forming one of the cylindrical cord-guide passages is proportional tothe square of the diameter of the passage. Hence, less material iseliminated in forming the four cylindrical lift-cord passages of FIG. 6than in forming the two cylindrical lift-cord passages of FIGS. 5 and 9;and guide block CG, which has the same over-all dimensions as guideblock CG and is made of the same material, weighs somewhat more thanguide block CG.

As will be apparent from FIG. 3, four lift cords may be used with thecord lock CL. The space between the front and rear walls 32 and 33 ofthe cord lock body, and the front-to-rear dimensions of the locking dogD and the cylindrical cord-guide 39, are sufficient to enabl-e the cordlock to take care of two more lift cords. The two additional lift cordsare placed between the rear wall 33 and the lift cord 15 that is shownin FIG. 3. Where the blind has more than four lift cords, but not overeight, two cord locks CL may be used. The two cord locks are placed oneimmediately behind the other in the head channel and secured in likemanner to the bottom 21 of the head channel. The lift cords are suitablydivided between the two cord locks.

Regardless of the number of lift cords, the downhanging ends of thecords are united at a tassel 17 or the like. The tassel 17 may bereplaced by a duplicate of the pendant cord-guide block CG, the liftcords being passed through the passages 71 and 72 thereof and beingunited immediately beneath the duplicate block CG. If desired, theduplicate block CG may have the walls of the counterbore 70 removed fora distance up from the bottom of the block, thereby providing the blockwith an internal space to receive the fastenedtogether lift-cord ends.

What is claimed is:

1. A blind in which (a) lift cords pass through a cord lock and, whenthe blind has been installed, hang down to be pulled downwardly and beeased upwardly to raise and lower the blind, (b) the cord lock haslocking means that is biased away from the lift cords but is movableinto locking engagement with the lift cords, and (c) an actuating cordis connected to the locking means and, upon being pulled, moves thelocking means into locking engagement with the lift cords wherein theimprovement comprises:

pendant cord-guide means for the lift cords, said pendant cord-guidemeans being attached to and carried by the actuating cord that isconnected to the locking means of the cord lock.

2. A blind as in claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises:

the pendant cord-guide means has spaced lift-cord passages through whichthe down-hanging liftcords pass vertically. 3. A blind as in claim 2wherein the improvement further comprises:

one or more lift cords pass through each of the liftcord passages of thependant cord-guide means. 4. A blind as in claim 1 wherein theimprovement further comprises: I

the pendant cord-guide means has apaced lift-cord passages through whichthe down-hanging liftcords pass vertically, and the attachment of thependant cord-guide means to the actuating cord is at a location that isbetween said spaced lift-cord passages. 5. A blind as in claim 2 whereinthe improvement further comprises:

the lift-cord passages of the pendant cord-guide means extend verticallyfor a distance which is long as compared to the thickness of the liftcords. 6. A blind as in claim 3 wherein the improvement furthercomprises:

' the lift-cord passages afford unfettered movement of the lift cordsthrough the passages. 7. A blind as in claim 1 wherein the improvementfurther comprises:

the pendant cord-guide means is a unitary cord-guide having is center ofgravity on its central verticalaxis, and the attachment of the unitarycord-guide to the actuating cord is at a location which is approximatelyon such vertical axis and substantially above the center of gravity. 8.A blind as in claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises:

the pendant cord-guide means is a pendant block, and the centralvertical-axis of the block is aligned approximately with the actuatingcord that is connected to the locking means of the cord lock. 9. A blindas in claim 8 wherein the improvement further comprises:

the pendant block has lift-cord passages which are spaced in oppositedirections from the central vertical-axis of the block, the down-hanginglift-cords passing vertically through such passages. 10. A blind as inclaim 9 wherein the improvement further comprises:

one or more lift cords pass through each of the liftcord passages of thependant block. 11. A blind as in claim 9 wherein the for furthercomprises:

the lift-cord passages of the pendant block extend vertically for adistance which is long as compared to the thickness of the lift cords.12. A blind as in claim 9 wherein the improvement further comprises:

one or more lift cords pass through each of the liftcord passages of thependant block, the lift-cord passages of the pendant block extendvertically for a distance which is long as compared to the thickness ofthe lift cords, and the liftcord passages afford unfettered movement ofthe lift cords through the passages.

9 10 13 A blind as in claim 1 in which (d) the cord lock furthercomprises: has a cord guide that guides the lift cords through a 90 thespring which biases the locking dog away from bend, and (e) the lockingmeans of the cord lock is a the lift cords is a readily detachable andreplaceapivoted locking dog which, when it is in locking enble coilspring gagement with h lif d Clamps h lift cords 5 15. A blind as inclaim 13 wherein the improvement against said cord guide of the cordlock -wherein the further comprisesi impmvemem f h comprises; one end ofthe actuating cord is connected to the a spring which biases the lockingdog away from the pandat cofd'gulde and the other end is Connected liftcords, the spring having sufficient strength to to thfi locklhg dog,counteract the combined weight of the pendant l0 and actuatmg cord J Fto the l g' cord-guide and the actuating cord to which the cohnected endihereiofi mm a blght pendant cord guide is attached which embraces thepivot of the locking dog. 14. A blind as in claim 13 wherein theimprovement 4 Patent No. I

lnve t VICTOR DEBS Claim 4, line 3,"'apaced"' should read spacedEDWARDMJLETCHER'JR. Atte sting Officer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,727,665 Dated April 17, 1973 It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I On the cover sheet [22] "1871" should read 1971 4 Column 1, line 47,"U.S. Pat. No." should be cancelled.

. 4 Claim 7, line 4, "is" should read its Claim 11, line 1, "for" shouldread-- improvement Signed and scaled this ZZndday of January 1974.

I (SEAL) Attest:

RENE D. TEGTMEYER

1. A blind in which (a) lift cords pass through a cord lock and, whenthe blind has been installed, hang down to be pulled downwardly and beeased upwardly to raise and lower the blind, (b) the cord lock haslocking means that is biased away from the lift cords but is movableinto locking engagement with the lift cords, and (c) an actuating cordis connected to the locking means and, upon being pulled, moves thelocking means into locking engagement with the lift cords -wherein theimprovement comprises: pendant cord-guide means for the lift cords, saidpendant cordguide means being attached to and carried by the actuatingcord that is connected to the locking means of the cord lock.
 2. A blindas in claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises: the pendantcord-guide means has spaced lift-cord passages through which thedown-hanging lift-cords pass vertically.
 3. A blind as in claim 2wherein the improvement further comprises: one or more lift cords passthrough each of the lift-cord passages of the pendant cord-guide means.4. A blind as in claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises: thependant cord-guide means has spaced lift-cord passages through which thedown-hanging lift-cords pass vertically, and the attachment of thependant cord-guide means to the actuating cord is at a location that isbetween said spaced lift-cord passages.
 5. A blind as in claim 2 whereinthe improvement further comprises: the lift-cord passages of the pendantcord-guide means extend vertically for a distance which is long ascompared to the thickness of the lift cords.
 6. A blind as in claim 3wherein the improvement further comprises: the lift-cord passages affordunfettered movement of the lift cords through the passages.
 7. A blindas in claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises: the pendantcord-guide means is a unitary cord-guide having its center of gravity onits central vertical-axis, and the attachment of the unitary cord-guideto the actuating cord is at a location which is approximately on suchvertical axis and substantially above the center of gravity.
 8. A blindas in claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises: the pendantcord-guide means is a pendant block, and the central vertical-axis ofthe block is aligned approximately with the actuating cord that isconnected to the locking means of the cord lock.
 9. A blind as in claim8 wherein the improvement further comprises: the pendant block haslift-cord passages which are spaced in opposite directions from thecentral vertical-axis of the block, the down-hanging lift-cords passingvertically through such passages.
 10. A blind as in claim 9 wherein theimprovement further comprises: one or more lift cords pass through eachof the lift-cord passages of the pendant block.
 11. A blind as in claim9 wherein the improvement further comprises: the lift-cord passages ofthe pendant block extend vertically for a distance which is long ascompared to the thickness of the lift cords.
 12. A blind as in claim 9wherein the improvement further comprises: one or more lift cords passthrough each of the lift-cord passages of the pendant block, thelift-cord passages of the pendant block extend vertically for a distancewhich is long as compared to the thickness of the lift cords, and thelift-cord passages afford unfettered movement of the lift cords throughthe passages.
 13. A blind as in claim 1 in which (d) the cord lock has acord guide that guides the lift cords through a 90* bend, and (e) thelocking means of the cord lock is a pivoted locking dog which, when itis in locking engagement with the lift cords, clamps the lift cordsaGainst said cord guide of the cord lock -wherein the improvementfurther comprises: a spring which biases the locking dog away from thelift cords, the spring having sufficient strength to counteract thecombined weight of the pendant cord-guide and the actuating cord towhich the pendant cord-guide is attached.
 14. A blind as in claim 13wherein the improvement further comprises: the spring which biases thelocking dog away from the lift cords is a readily detachable andreplaceable coil spring.
 15. A blind as in claim 13 wherein theimprovement further comprises: one end of the actuating cord isconnected to the pendant cord-guide and the other end is connected tothe locking dog, and the actuating cord, adjacent to thelocking-dog-connected end thereof, is formed into a bight which embracesthe pivot of the locking dog.